Foot-guard for elevators.



No. 687,537. Patented Nov.26, l90l. J. METZGEB.

FOOT GUARD FOR ELEVATORS.

(Apiulicution med Ap'r. 15, 1901.)

(No Model.)

us l mi WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN METZGER, OF BQSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDWARD LOOKE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FOOT-GUARD FOR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 687,537, dated November 26, 1901.

Application filed April 15,1901. sens no. 55,91 N m d To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN METZGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Suffo 1:, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Foot- Guards for Elevators, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention is an attachment for elevators and their landing-stages for preventing the accidental catching and consequent injury to the foot of a person standing at the landing.

Frequently in the operation of elevators a person will get his foot caught between the wall of the elevator-well and the platform of the elevator as the latter reaches the landingstage, this occurring usually because the person stands too close to the edge of the landing and permits his foot to hang over in the path of the elevator. Accordingly I have provided an automatic trip or extension piece which yields in such a manner as to throw the foot back in case a person should stand too near the edge of the landing-floor.

In the drawings, in which I have shown one embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of a landing-stage and the adjacent part of an elevator-car for the purpose of illustrating the arrangement and operation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective detail of the trippingblock or automatic foot-guard. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail showing the foot-guard enlarged in end elevation.

As is well known, there is usually a space of several inches between the elevator, as itrises and descends, and the walls of the well in which it operates, and it is the purpose of this invention to provide an automatic guard which shall prevent a person who is waiting at an open door for the elevator from getting his foot in this space and having the same injured between the elevator and the landing. Accordingly it will be understood that in the drawings I have indicated a usual kind of elevator A, herein shown as a passenger-elevator, the contiguous landing-stage being indicated at B. At the front edge of this landingI mount my improved foot-guard 0, herein shown as preferably consisting of a substantially triangular block of wood or other suitable material pivotally supported at D in the adjacent woodwork or masonry of the elevator-well and so mounted as to normally occupy the position shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 3, being preferably held yieldingly in said position by a spring E, wrapped around the pivot D. The block or trip 0 is maintained in substantially horizontal position by a stop or ledge F, extending below the same and abutting against the adjacent wall G of the well, so as to maintain the top surface of the block on a level with the floor B. The

' front lower face of the foot-guard or block 0 extends, preferably, on an incline or bevel II for a purpose presently to be described, and the wall G and floor B are cut away, as indicated at J, in order to permit the block to turn upwardly, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

In operation if a person happens to stand with his foot projecting over into the well it will be supported on the block 0, and if we suppose that a box, for instance, or other article has been loaded upon the elevator and projects over the threshold at the door thereof in such position that it would ordinarily hit and injure the projecting foot it will readily be seen that instead of thus hitting and injuring the foot it comes in contact with the inclined face H of the block, thereby automatically turning said block from the fullline position, Fig. 3, into the dotted-line position and accomplishing a twofold result, not only tipping back the foot and causing the removal thereof, but at the same time turning up the lower end of said inclined face H in such position as to shove the box farther in upon the elevator. In other words, the depending portion F of the block 0 automatically swings outward into engagement with the end of the box, so as to push the latter in farther on the floor of the elevator.

It will be understood that many changes may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my'invention, and accordingly I do not limit myself to the specific details and arrangement thereof as herein shown nor otherwise than as expressed in the claims, my object being to provide an automatically-yield ing device which will prevent accidental injury, as above explained. In some situations, also, it will be of advantage to place claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A foot-guard for elevators, comprising a triangular block mounted on pivots at its opposite ends, said block projecting forward, rearward, and downwardfrom said pivots, the upper or tread surface of the block extending from end to end of the block and from said forwardly-projecting to said rearwardlyprojecting part of the block substantially on a level with the floor, the downwardly-projecting part of the block constituting a stop adapted to abut normally against the adjacent Wall or floor, said block having its front lower face extending from end to end of the block and from the front edge of said treadsurface to the lower end of said stop at an oblique angle, substantially as described.

2. A foot-guard for elevators, comprising a triangular block mounted 011 pivots at its opposite ends, said block projecting forward, rearward, and downward from said pivots, the upper or tread surface of the block extending from end to end of the block and from said forwardly-projecting to said rearwardlyprojecting part of the block substantially on a level with the floor, the downwardly-projecting part of the block constituting a stop adapted to abut normally against the adjacent wall or floor, said block having its front lower face extending from end to end of the block and from the front edge of said treadsurface to the lower end of said stop at an oblique angle, and a recess or a cut-away portion J back of said pivots to receive the rearwardly-projecting part of the block when the block is rocked back on its pivots.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN METZGER.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. MAXWELL, WILHELMINA C. HENSER. 

